Hand riveter



Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND RIVEIER William E. Melick, Toledo, Ohio Application August 6, 1946, Serial No. 688,776 1 clams. (o1. 21a-i9) bled relation. 10

An object of the invention is the provision of a novel hand tool of this character that is simple and inexpensive in construction and easily and quickly operable to eiect an efficient riveting operation. l5

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and one embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of a riveting tool embodying the invention, with the handles partly broken 20 away and with the stem expanding plunger retracted; Fig. 2 is a forward end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the parts shown in Fig. l, with parts in section and with the stem member ci' the tool in the act of being projected 25 through a rivet; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail showing the stem projected completely through a rivet with the expanding plungerin position for expanding the stem within the rivet and with the opposing thrust parts of the tool in initial rivet 50 upsetting position; Fig, 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with parts broken away and with the opposing rivet engaging parts in completed upsetting position; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stem member of the tool. and'Fig. 'I is a perspective 35 view of the expanding plunger with the control ring removed.

Referring to the drawings. i and 2 designate handle members which are crossed and pivctally connected at 3 in the manner` of a pair of pliers 40 and have the long handle ends a and the short power ends b. with both spaced apart as shown. It is apparent that an inward movement of the handle parts a, accomplished by a, tightening of the grip of a hand holding the tool, wm cause the 45 parts b, which are normally spaced a considerable distance apart, to have relative-inward movements imparted thereto to narrow the space therebetween.

The free ends of the handle parts b are con- 60 nected by two sets of opposing toggle links l and 5 connected at their outer ends by pivots t to the respective handle parts. The inner ends of the inner or rear pair of links are pivotally connected coaxially to the member 'I at opposite sides there- 55 of, while the inner ends of the other set are pivotally connected ccaxially to a. thrust or anvil member 8. It is thus apparent that an inward or contracting movement of the handle parts b will tend to collapse the toggle connections and force the members 1 and 8 outward from each other, while an outward or expanding movement of said parts will cause a straightening movement of said connections to force the members 1 and l inward' toward each other.

A stem I0 having its forward end portion forked to permit contraction from normal diametrical size is projected through the two members 1 and 8 and projects in advance of lthe latter and is freely slidable therein. The rear end of this stem is threaded through the rear member and locked thereto Iby a nut Il so that the stem will have movements with such member. This also permits adjustment of the stem to suit the length of the rivet to be acted on. The forward end of the stem i0 is forked for a considerable portion of its length by longitudinally splitting it, by sawing or otherwise. to provide a pluralityof normally spaced fingers I2 with slots i3 therebetween. Each nger is provided at the outer side of its free end portion with a, lateral projection I4 which cooperates with those'of the other n- `gers to form an enlargement at the forward end of the stem for coaction with the outer end 0f a rivet through which projected tov effect an upsetting or clinching thereof as hereinafter described.

The stem fingers are held in expanded relation within a rivet by a plunger l5 mounted for longitudinal sliding movements in the stem and having a plurality of side flanges corresponding in number to the slots inthe stem and fitting therein. The rear end portions of these anges are projected slightly beyond the outer edges of the stem slots and threaded as shown at I1 to permit a thumb-piece I8 of ring-form to be threaded thereon between the members 1 and i and in encircling relation to the stem.l The plunger ii is shorter than the slotted portion of the stemto enable itto be retracted a distance therein to permit inward relative springing or collapsing of the enlarged end of the stem sufficient for its insertion through a rivet as shown in Fig. 3. When the stem has been inserted through a rivet, the plunger is moved forward by hand to the end of the stem to effect an expansion thereof to normal size and prevent withdrawal of the stem enlargement through the rivet, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the use ofv the tool a rivet 2l, with only one 3 end flanged, is inserted through registering holes in two lapped material strips Il from the exposed side thereof, and the tool stem. i l, with the plunger Il retracted, is then collapsed at its free end and inserted through the rivet to position its enlargement Il beyond the uniianged end thereof.

At the same time the thrust member I is in posi-v tion to bear against the inner ilanged end oi the rivet. The plunger Il is then moved forward by pressure applied to the knurled ring II to the position shown in Figs. 4 andY 5, thus holding the stem in its normally expanded form to prevent withdrawal of its enlarged end through the rivet. Pressure now applied to portions a of the handles I and 2 will cause the toggle members I and `l to move apart. This action moves the member l forward into holding contact with the adjacent or flanged end oi' the rivet and at the same time draws the stem III rearward to force its venlargement i4 into upsetting engagement with the 0pposed or outer end of the rivet. In this manner. powerful opposing pressures can be applied to the two opposing rivet-engaging thrust parts l and Il to effect a clinching oi the rivet without movement of the rivet in the material being riveted and with comparative ease on the part of the operator.

I 'wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any speciiic construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable o1' numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. In a tool of the class described, a pair of handles in pivoted plier-like connection with laterally spaced parts, two sets or toggle links connecting said parts for opposed breaking and straightening movements, a stem carried by and projected from one set oi said links across the other set. said stem having its projected end portion longitudinally split to permit lateral collapsing to reduce its diameter and being provided with an enlargement for projection through a hollow rivet when the stem end ls contracted and for thrust engagement with the outer end of the rivet when the stem end is expanded, means movable lengthwise of the stem to hold the stem end expanded. and a thrust member on said other pair of links for acting against the adjacent end of a rivet when the stem is drawn inwardly to cause its enlargement to have upsetting eoaction with the opposite end o the rivet by outward opposing movements of the two sets of links.

2. In a tool of the class described. a stem having a longitudinally split laterally contractible end portion with an enlargement at such end and adapted when contracted to be projected through a hollow rivet, means carried by the stem and movable lengthwise thereof into and out of position to prevent contraction of the stem after pro- Jection of its enlargement through a rivet, a thrust member. and toggle means including two sets oi opposing links connected to said stem and operable by opposed breaking action to cause said member and stem enlargement to impart opposing pressures against opposite ends oi' a rivet 4 through which the stem is projected and cause an upsetting of at least one end of the rivet, and handles o! pivoted plier-like form carrying said toggle connections and operable to impart opposed inward straightening or outward breaking movements oi said sets of links.

3. In a tool of the class described, two sets of laterally opposing toggle links, means connected to the outer ends of the links of each set and operable to impart opposed breaking and lengthening movements in unison to both sets of links. a stem longitudinally movable by said movements oi one set, a thrust member carried by the other set at the point of pivotal connection of its links, said stem having an outer end enlargement and being laterally contractible at such end for pro- Jection of the enlargement through a hollow rivet. means carried by the stem and movable into and out of position to prevent contraction of its end, and means connected to said two sets of toggle links and operable to force said thrust member against one endl and said stem enlargementin upsetting engagement against the other end of a rivet through which the stem is projected. l 4. A combination as called for in claim 3. wherein said operating means is plier-like in its action and has its short arms laterally spaced and connected by the toggle sets.

5. In a tool of the class described, a stem having an end enlargement and longitudinally splitrivet, means carried by the stem and movable into and out of position to prevent said contraction, a thrust member for engagement with the opposite end of a rivet on the stem from said enlargement. and means including double sets of opposltely moving toggles one connected to said stem and the other to said thrust member and operable to impart opposing rivet clinching movements thereto.

6. A combination as called for in claim 5, wherein the stem is adjustably attached to the toggleset with which connected to 'permit lengthening or shortening of the stem projection there- Afrom to suit the length of a rivet to be acted on.

'7. A combination as called for in claim 5, wherein said means includes crossed pivotally connected levers for operating the toggle sets,

WILLIAM E. MELICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following'references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 312.688 Wilkins Feb. 24, 1885 1,320,225 Hallett Oct.,28, 1919 2,367,265 Cooper Jan. 16, 1945 2,399,442 Luce Apr. 30, 1946 2,430,554 Bogg Nov. 11, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date `419,095 Great Britain Nov. 6, 1934 

